It's A Secret Love, Charlie Brown
by Me
Summary: Sally finds a diary and starts reading. Silliness ensues as the gang tries to figure out whose it is and who it's about.


IT'S A SECRET LOVE, CHARLIE BROWN  
  
Charlie Brown was busy typing on the computer. He saw his sister, Sally, walking up behind  
him. "I'm really glad Mom and Dad let us use this Instant Messaging, Sally, even though we're  
too young to get into websites and things. Typing is much easier than writing."  
  
"I know. But, I really like reading what people write out."  
  
Charlie Brown smiled at her. His sister was really growing up. "You know, you're right. The  
feel of the paper. The fun of going out to the mailbox. The fact someone worded things just the  
right way for you."  
  
"Actually, I just like that I'm reading and it's not for school." Sally looked at the message on  
the computer. "I see you're IM'ing Shermy, the boy who used to live in the area."  
  
He nodded. "We lost touch, but he found my e-mail address about a month ago."  
  
"I know. I was talking with him on the computer yesterday. Then I realized he was talking  
about high school. So I typed, Oh, you must be your brother.'  
  
"Anyway, come here, big brother. I need you to help me with a letter," Sally said. She walked  
toward the kitchen table. Charlie Brown rolled his eyes and signed off, but followed her anyway.   
He wished Sally wouldn't ask him for help so much. But, she did seem to enjoy it. And, it made  
him feel very good to know what he could do something right.  
  
He sat next to Sally and rested his head on an arm. "See this?" Sally said. "I'm writing a letter  
to the Tanners."  
  
Charlie Brown noticed the names. "Uh, Sally, Full House' was cancelled seven years ago. It's  
just in reruns now."  
  
"It was? But, there's a kid in my class who's crazy about Stephanie." She thought for a  
second. "That means he's weirder than you."  
  
Charlie Brown's head whirled. He was scared to go up and talk to girls. But, even he  
wouldn't dream of a fictional charcter, although he'd heard of little kids doing tht. But, he was  
nine-and-a-half. "Or, at least more misinformed. You know, Sally, the advice you give here  
looks very nice. I think Michelle was a little rude as a preschooler; especially to adults."  
  
"That's right. I'd never even say duh' to you!"  
  
"Making her say things in a respectful way, and not letting her do anything till she says  
something the right way, is good. I always thought that's how her older sisters taught her. That's  
why she's a lot more polite in the later episodes," Charlie Brown suggested. "It just took longer  
for her to learn because her sisters were the only ones to enforce politeness at home."  
  
Sally smiled. "Boy, you sure are smart. I can't believe you're such a great big brother, and so  
mediocre at other things." She smiled. "See, I give you compliments."  
  
"Well, Ted Williams couldn't run. And, Harmon Kilebrew couldn't bunt," he pointed out.   
"But, they were great enough at other things to make the Hall of Fame."  
  
Just then, the phone rang. Charlie Brown went to get it, and picked it up. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Chuck, it's Peppermint Patty. Guess what we get to celebrate," she told him.  
  
"Celebrate? What?" Charlie Brown's first reaction was that Patty had gotten something better  
than a D minus, which she always seemed to get in school. However, he held that thought. He  
was too polite to say something like that.  
  
Patty said, "I got picked to skate in a production of Beauty and the Beast!' I only have a  
small part, but isn't this wonderful, Chuck? Even if I never make the Olympics, someday I can  
always star in ice shows like this."  
  
Charlie Brown agreed. "Linus and his family haave company this morning, but I'm sure Sally  
would enjoy coming. We'll meet at the pizza parlor by our ball field."  
  
Soon, Charlie Brown and Sally were eating pizza with Marcie, Patty, and Patty's dad, Mr.  
Reichardt. (Peppermint Patty's full name was Patricia Reichardt.) "This is my rare gem here," Mr.  
Reichardt said, smiling proudly at Patty. "She is really special."  
  
Patty beamed with an incredible amount of pride. Hearing that meant a lot to her.  
  
Charlie Brown sighed. "I wish I was someone's rare gem. All I think I'll ever be is someone's  
cubic zirconium."  
  
Sally and Patty's said "what's that?" at the same time.  
  
"That's something that looks like a diamond, but it isn't," Marcie explained simply. "Don't  
worry, Charlies. I'm sure there's somebody who will love you a lot."  
  
Charlie Brown leaned forward. He thought she had a certain gleam in her eye, but with the  
sun shining on her glasses, he wasn't sure. No, he told himself, that had to be a gleam, didn't it?  
  
The people from the other side of town went to use the restroom, leaving Charlie Brown alone  
with his sister. "Sally, was that a sparkle in Marcie's eye? That had to be a sparkle, didn't it?"  
  
"Why would Marcie have a sparkle in her eye?" Sally asked.  
  
"Come on, Sally. I'm sure somebody likes me. You heard how she said that. It must be true."   
He smiled broadly. "It must be Marcie. The way she looked at me, the way we walked in the  
woods for a minute once till I ran into a tree. Or wait." He rubbed his chin, and looked  
concerned. "Maybe it's Peppermint Patty. She sent me a love note once, but I tossed it away,  
thinking it was junk mail. Maybe she still likes me, anyway. What do you think, Sally? If you  
mailed someone a love note...I know you're only seven, but if you mailed someone a love note  
and they threw it away, would you still love them?" he asked.  
  
"Only if it was my Sweet Babboo," Sally said, referring to Linus, Charlie Brown's best human  
friend. "He's the only one I'd ever write one to, anyway."  
  
"Well, he has an October, birthday, and with his grades he might move up with me  
permanently by next year. He'll be two years ahead. But, maybe when he's a senior in high school  
and you're a sophonore," Charlie Brown cautioned.  
  
When Sally said, "What do you know about love?" Charlie Brown laughed inside. He may not  
know much, but he knew he had to know more than Sally. That was his one bit of pride, he could  
help his little sister with so many things.  
  
Mr. Reichardt was hanging up a cell phone as he walked out of the restroom. "Listen, I'm  
sorry we have to cut this short, but my aunt just went into the hospital, and I have to get the girls  
back home so our sitter can watch them while I go there to be with her." Peppermint Patty didn't  
have a mother. "I'm the only one in town right now who can be, till her daughter gets back later  
tonight. I'll pay for our pizzas," he promised.  
  
Charlie Brown and Sally finished eating in silence, while Charlie Brown puzzled over Marcie's  
comment. "Was that a glimmer of hope, or just a glimmer of sunlight," he asked nobody in  
particular.  
  
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was just reading this."  
  
"Reading what?" He looked at it. The front of the book said, "My diary." "Sally, that's  
someone's diary. You don't go reading peoples' diaries. That's personal."  
  
"You mean people actually write to themselves? That's weird," Sally said.  
  
"You're calling that weird? You try to write to fictional charcters," Charlie Brown said.  
  
"Well, at least someone else would have read it," Sally pointed out.  
  
Charlie Brown wanted to end the "fight" and simply get Sally tostop reading. "Look, I know  
it sounds weird, but just put that diary back where you found it."  
  
"I didn't find it. The carboy said he found it," she explained.  
  
"Busboy."  
  
"Whatever. Anyway, he said the part of the restaurant where it was wasn't cleaned as  
thoroughly last night. He said it could have been put there yesterday, or it could have been just  
now." Sally opened to another random page. "Listen to this..."  
  
"Sally, I don't want to hear someone else's personal notes!"  
  
" ...I can't believe it's love, in a way. I'm not gifted in lots of things. I'm a one-trick pony.   
And, so is my treasure.' That could be you, big brother. The only thing you do right is lose,"  
Sally quipped.  
  
"What else does it say about me?" Charlie Brown frowned. "Okay, okay. I guess I'm a little  
curious. But, we'll stop right there. I'll call Patty when we get home, and tell her...no, I can't. I  
know she likes me now. If I let on that I read what she wrote, she'll know I read her diary.   
AAUGH!"  
  
"Wait, here's more. Maybe I'm not a one-trick pony. I mean, I have lots of other talents.   
But, they just get ignored. Maybe that's partly my fault, though.'" Sally hummed. "Didn't Marcie  
say that her parents didn't have much time for her?"  
  
"Yeah, she did. Good grief, now it could be either one. I mean, I'm sure Peppermint Patty has  
other talents, too," Charlie Brown said.  
  
"When are you going to call, big brother?" Sally asked.  
  
Charlie Brown sighed and hung his head. "I don't know."  
  
Early that afternoon, Charlie Brown went out to Lucy's booth - on the top, it said "Psychiatric  
help, five cents.' On the bottom was a sign saying that the doctor was in. He sat on a stool while  
Lucy listened.  
  
After explaining about the diary, he began to say, "So you see, I don't know who to call, or..."  
  
"Big brother! Big brother!" Sally was excitedly holding the diary open. "Listen to this. It  
says My treasure loves me even though I have a very annoying habit!' Oh, I knew it, my Sweet  
Babboo really does love me!" She sighed dreamily, then looked at Charlie Brown. He and Lucy  
shared befuddled expressions. "Apparently, you don't know as much about love as you thought."  
  
"Let me see that." Lucy hummed as she looked at the writing. "Whoever it is, she doesn't  
date her musings. This is more one of those thought journals where you don't date everything.   
And, she obviously prints to hide her handwriting."  
  
"She? Why can't a boy keep a diary?" Sally asked emphatically.  
  
"Well, I only know girls who keep them, but..." A huge smile grew on Lucy's face. "Wait a  
minute. Sally, you're a genius!"  
  
"She is?"  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Schroeder really likes me! He was at the pizza shop yesterday evening, right after my family  
left! This must be his diary! Oh, I can't wait to go see him," Lucy said excitedly. She rushed  
away from her booth.  
  
Sally looked crestfallen. Charlie Brown tried to console her. "Well, look at it this way. We  
each saved five cents."  
  
"I'm going over there too, big brother. What if it isn't Schroeder's? It could still be Linus',"  
Sally exclaimed.  
  
Lucy walked in on Schroeder as he was playing his piano. She leaned against it and looked  
expectantly at him. After a moment, Sally walked in and stood behind Lucy.  
  
The starstruck Lucy, tired of being ignored, finally said, "Aren't you missing something?"  
  
Schroeder gazed at her for a second, held up a finger, and said, "Of course!" He got up  
quickly and ran upstairs.  
  
"I knew it!" Lucy shouted triumphantly to Sally.  
  
Schroeder came back down with a dust cover for the top of his piano. It had a picture of  
Beethoven on it. "Thanks, Lucy. I forgot my mom got me this last week," he said as he draped it  
over the top of his piano.  
  
"Look," Lucy said more insistently, "I'm tired of being subtle. Do you love me?" she asked.  
  
"Lucy, we've been over this many times. Of course not."  
  
Sally grabbed the book from Lucy's hand. "I told you it was Linus'." Schroeder failed to see  
the diary, as he was concentrating on his performance.  
  
"While I would like nothing more than to see my brother admit that his carrying a blanket at  
age eight is beyond odd, I am sure Schroeder is the one!" Lucy declared. She swiped the book  
back.  
  
Sally snatched it agin and said, "I say it is Linus! Only my sweet babboo would call me a  
treasure. He would treasure it when I mangle words. I can't see Schroeder treasuring your gift,  
which is crabbiness!"  
  
Schroeder held his hands to his ears and said, "Stop!"  
  
Lucy was undaunted. "You better be glad you're not a boy, or I'd slug you! Schroeder  
treasures me, Linus doesn't treasure you!"  
  
"I've seen enough of this house to know there's only one thing he's crazy about. And, there's  
not one word about Beethoven in the four pages I've read so far!"  
  
"That's because my sweetheart can't bring himself to talk about us out loud," Lucy proclaimed.  
  
"Girls, please!" Schroeder exclaimed. "I've heard of girls fighting over a boy, but two girls  
fighting over two boys? If one of you liked Beethoven and the other liked Mozart, you wouldn't  
fight over them, you'd each court the one you liked. Now, please, let me concentrate, I need to  
be ready for my piano recital after church tomorrow," he insisted. "It's hard enough practicing  
when the black keys are painted on."  
  
Sally said, "Fine. I'll ask Linus about it. And you can be sure he'll tell me the truth," she  
remarked, walking out in a huff. She was proud that she didn't stoop to Lucy's levels of  
bossiness. Even if she did deliver a stinnging one-liner, it wasn't nearly as harsh as Lucy's would  
be, and then only to her big brother. And, she knew he'd still care about her. She never wanted  
to be as crabby or fussy as Lucy.  
  
Lucy, sighed, then finally followed Sally out the door. She still hoped Schroeder liked her.   
But, to save face, when she caught up to Sally near their house she said, "You know, Sally, I  
think I was right the first time. Most diaries are kept by girls. The fact that that's got a green  
cover means it could be either. But, I bet it's a girl's."  
  
The girls saw Rerun and a girl with braids playing in Rerun's sandbox. "Is Linus home," Sally  
asked.  
  
"He's throwing the ball around with Charlie Brown," Rerun explained.  
  
"Oh. Well, I wanted to ask him about a diary," Sally explained.  
  
"What's that?" Rerun wanted to know.  
  
The little girl answered. "That's a place where you put your thoughts. I drew some nice  
horses running along a meadow in mine yesterday."  
  
"That sounds nice," he said. "I like horses. I'll have to think about you the next time I see a  
horse."  
  
"Thanks. I think about you sometimes, too." They went back to playing together.  
  
Sally sighed and gazed skyward. "Love was so much simpler last year when I was six like  
them."  
  
"Wait till you get to be nine like me. It'll really be a hassle," Lucy said. "But one day, I'll have  
guys rushing to me. I'll be Homecoming Queen, and every boy in school will say, That's Lucy  
Van Pelt. I want to go out with her and tell her how beautiful she is and dream of being married  
to her and doing all her housework and taking care of the kids while she makes the world run like  
it's supposed to be.'"  
  
"Is that your diary?" the girl with the braids asked Sally.  
  
No, it's someone else's," Sally said.  
  
"You'd better put it back before they miss it. When my sister caught me looking in hers she  
got really mad."  
  
"Are you supposed to get mad?" Rerun asked.  
  
The girl wasn't sure. But, she said, "I think you are. It's like a game. My sister bought me a  
diary and explained it after she calmned down. She said I can get mad at her if she reads my  
diary, too."  
  
Sally hadn't thought about that. Would the person whose diary it was be upset with her? She  
didn't want anyone yelling and screaming at her. It would be like getting sent to the principal's  
office. "Thanks. I'll hide it in my room for now, and then go talk to Linus."  
  
Lucy and Sally walked out to the ball field several minutes later. Charlie Brown, Snoopy,  
Pigpen, and Linus were playing catch.  
  
Sally walked up to Linus. "Hello, my sweet babboo."  
  
Linus was taken slightly aback by the suddenness of Sally's greeting. She didn't call him that  
all the time. Still, he quickly said, "I'm not your sweet babboo."  
  
"Oh, I understand. But, and I quote, the one you treasure can cause a mess, but that just  
makes my treasure more charming. And increases my happiness.'" Sally smiled warmly at him.   
She was glad someone appreciated her despite her messing up of the English language at times.  
  
"What?" Linus gazed, quite perplexed, at Charlie Brown. "What's going on here?"  
  
"Well, Sally found this diary, see, and..." Charlie Brown hummed, then glanced over at  
Pigpen. He was standing still, and had gathered a large clump of dirt around him. " Cause a  
mess?' I wonder if Pigpen's in love." He had forgotten about it possibly being Patty's or Marcie's;  
the girls were so sure a boy had written it.  
  
"Or, maybe it's someone writing about Pigpen," Sally said. Pigpen's natural messiness was an  
annoying habit, as she'd read, but he could also have been the subject of the "cause a mess" quote.  
  
"Hmmm, Patty and Marcie don't know you well, Pigpen," Charlie Brown said to Pigpen as he  
fired a dustball toward Snoopy. "But, Lucy does."  
  
"What? What are you saying?" Lucy demanded to know  
  
"Is it your diary that Sally found?" Charlie Brown asked.  
  
"How could it be?" Sally asked. "She was just arguing that it had to be Schroeder's when we  
were over there. But it wasn't."  
  
"That's right. Besides, I like Schroeder, not Pigpen!" Lucy exclaimed.  
  
Linus turned toward his sister. "Maybe Pigpen likes you. Or maybe you claim to like  
Schroeder to hide the fact that you like Pigpen."  
  
"Plus, you never looked in that diary. You don't know that it isn't yours," Sally said.  
  
"She's got a point, Lucy," Charlie Brown said.  
  
Lucy was dumbfounded. "Me, like a human dust storm? Impossible! Besides, my diary is  
safely hidden under my bathing suits, with the key taped behind my left, back bedpost." She held  
her hands to her face. "Oh, no, now my sneaky brother can find it and look through it. I need to  
go find another hiding place now!" She ran home, with the others gazing at her.  
  
"Poor girl. I think we'll have to cut her loose," Snoopy thought, impoersonating a World War  
One ace. "She'll never make a good spy like that."  
  
"What is going on here," Pigpen wondered.  
  
Snoopy pondered assuming a stance like Sherlock Holmes, "It's diabolical, Watson. We've got  
a diary where the only thing we know is that Sally didn't write it. It could be about anyone, and  
by anyone else. There must be a clue here somewhere to allow the world famous detective to  
finally end the matter."  
  
Franklin, Peppermint Patty and Marcie rode their bikes onto the ball field moments later.   
"Hey, Chuck," Peppermint Patty said. "My sitter said we could ride our bikes over here." They  
lived across town, about a fifteen minute bike ride away. It was a long trip, but still makeable on  
a nice Saturday afternoon like this.  
  
Sally walked up to Marcie while the other newcomers walked away from their bikes and  
toward the pitchers' mound. "Marcie, I have a question," she said.  
  
"Sure, what is it?"  
  
Sally motioned Marcie into the outfield. She didn't want anyone else to hear that she had read  
a diary. On the other hand, if it was Marcie's she didn't want her to be upset at her. So, she  
pretended Charlie Brown had read it.  
  
"Marcie, my brother read something about a secret love. He said the two seemed to like each  
other. But, the one couldn't believe it - I can only do one thing right' was the quote." Marcie  
began grinning as Sally continued. "And, the writer said there was something annoying about the  
other one. But, that didn't matter because the writer really treasred that person no matter what."  
  
Sally finished by saying, "Does any of that sound familiar?'  
  
Marcie smiled toothily. She rubbed her hands together. "It sure does. Thanks, Sally," she  
said warmly, giviing the younger girl a pat on the back.  
  
Sally smiled proudly as she walked toward the infield. She was excited to have solved that  
mystery - and, of course, she'd solved it before her big brother. She looked at Snoopy. "See? It  
was that simple. All I had to do was ask, and now we know whose diary it is."  
  
Marcie walked up to Charlie Brown as he prepared to pitch to Franklin. She said, "Charles,  
you sly dog, you!"  
  
Charlie Brown's eyebrows shot up. "Huh?!"  
  
"Sending your sister to tell me you liked me. You probably had her quote something from  
your diary, too."  
  
"MY diary?!"  
  
Marcie continued to speak as Peppermint Patty walked up to her. "I know calling you   
Charles' might annoy you a little, but you just seem like more of a Charles' to me than what  
everyone else calls you. But, I'm glad you like me, anyway."  
  
"Marcie, what on earth are you two talking about?" Peppermint Patty said with a pang of  
jealousy.  
  
"Charles here likes me. He sent Sally to see if I liked him. Well, don't worry, Charles. She  
doesn't have to keep shuttling messages back and forth," Marcie said.  
  
"What messages?" Patty asked.  
  
"Yes, what messages? I mean, I thought maybe you had written..." He looked away. He  
hadn't wanted to reveal that he'd heard something out of a diary! "Good grief, what am I saying?"  
  
Sally joined everyone else on the pitchers' mound. "You like Marcie? You didn't tell me that  
when you read that diary."  
  
"Sally, I didn't read the diary," Charlie Brown insisted.  
  
"What diary?" Franklin wanted to know.  
  
"Oh, Sally found a diary, and..."  
  
"Don't tell them that, big brother! I don't want whoever it is to be mad at me," Sally  
exclaimed.  
  
Peppermint Patty said, "I'll be more upset if I don't hear what's going on. I thought you liked  
me, Chuck!"  
  
"I do...uh...that is, I thought you liked me...then I thought Marcie did...but I didn't call  
because...and then Sally said...but Lucy thought..." He looked skyward. "I give up."  
  
Lucy ran bck onto the field. "Hey, why is everyone on the mound having a meeting without  
me there," she said suddenly and fussily.  
  
"We were disucssing a diary..." Linus said.  
  
"And I want to know what's in it! What did you write, Chuck!?" Patty asked.  
  
"I didn't write anything. Sally, tell her what's in there, maybe it'll sound familiar," Charlie  
Brown said.  
  
Sally hedged, but then decided to mention some of the other things she'd read. "Okay, but tell  
me if I'm telling you anything you don't want me to tell."  
  
"I want you to tell me anything you have to tell," Patty said.  
  
"Okay," Sally said, "but I'm just telling you that I might be telling you something you don't  
want me to tell, even if you say to tell it, because you might not know what I have to tell is  
something you don't want me to tell."  
  
Charlie Brown said to nobody in particular, "And this is the same girl who had to have the boy  
mouth her half her lines when she played in Hansel and Gretel at school."  
  
Sally began. "First of all, it says that the person can't believe it's love. This person really likes  
someone. They always call that person a treasure, they don't use the name. But, they say they're  
a one trick pony tail.' I heard once where if you're a one trick pony tail, it means you can only do  
one thing well."  
  
"Yes, you mean a one trick pony," Charlie Brown said.  
  
Sally nodded. At least she'd read it right when she had the book right in front of her.   
"Whatever. Anyway, this person admits that they have faults. And, that they have talents, but  
that being seen as having only one might be their fault."  
  
"Gee, Lucy, that does sound like you," Linus said.  
  
"When would I ever admit I have faults," Lucy snapped. "Have you looked at my diary?"  
  
"Wel, no...what I mean is...well, haven't you ever..." Linus stammered.  
  
"Maybe Lucy likes you, Charlie Brown," Franklin said.  
  
Linus breathed a sigh of relief as Lucy's attention was turned away from him. "Oh, good  
grief," Lucy said in a huff. "I can't imagine anyone liking this blockhead!"  
  
"Maybe the way you pull the football away from him is just like how Schroeder pulls the piano  
out from under you," Franlkin said. "My grandfather was like that with my grandmother. When  
they were courting, he'd playfully sneak up and snatch the frisbee out of her hand as she went to  
throw it for her dog."  
  
"That's nice," Charlie Brown said. "Your grandmother had to be special if she had a dog."  
  
Franklin continued. "Of course, it got embarrassing when he and she were playing frisbee in  
the park one day. He'd written will you marry me' on it before he handed it to her, but she  
wouldn't read it. She just kept expecting him to snatch it away."  
  
"Look, I'm not interested in grandfathers and frisbees. I know you all didn't see it, but I can  
promise you that that diary is not mine!" Lucy exclaimed.  
  
"Of course not. It's Chuck's," Peppermint Patty asked.  
  
"It's not mine. I don't even keep a diary. Neither does Sally, to my knowledge." He thought  
for a moment. "Uh, do you?"  
  
"No. But, if you did, who would you write about? Patty or Marcie?" Sally asked.  
  
"Yes, Chuck, inquiring minds want to know," Peppermint Patty said.  
  
"I thought the issue was whose diary did Sally find," Linus said.  
  
"That's not important right now. Chuck, do you like me?" Patty asked.  
  
"He sent Sally to say he liked me," Marcie pointed out.  
  
Patty muttered, "But I wanted you to like me."  
  
Snoopy could tell she looked hurt. So, he walked over to her and planted a big kiss on her  
nose. "Poor damsel. All the ladies go after us flying aces. Each one thinks they'll be the only one  
for us." Patty's mood instantly brightened.  
  
Linus looked at Snoopy's paws. "And see this? Ink marks. I think we've found our diary  
writer."  
  
"You blockhead, Snoopy couldn't have written a diary!" Lucy exploded.  
  
"No, actually, I was working on my latest manuscript" Snoopy thought.  
  
Patty said, "Why couldn't he. He may be a funny looking kid, but he knows how to treat a  
girl."  
  
Charlie Brown pointed out something. "He is definitely not limited to one talent, though.   
Midicine, law, golf, baseball, flying a Sopwith Camel. He can do it all."  
  
"All the more reason to love him if I can't have you, Chuck," Peppermint Patty said.  
  
"But maybe you can...I mean, unless Marcie wants...Not that you're not first, but..."  
  
"Make up your mind now, Chuck. Or when we have the party at my place tomorrow, Snoopy  
here will be my date."  
  
Charlie Brown sighed. "Look, I was hoping you two could straighten things out for me. I  
mean..."  
  
"Oh, Charles," Marcie mourned. "To lead me on like that is so cruel."  
  
"Marcie, I didn't lead you on; Sally must have been asking about the diary she found, and you  
thought..." He sighed. "I give up."  
  
Charlie Brown didn't get much sleep that night. He kept trying to think of ways to find out  
which of the two girls liked him. But, he wanted to do it without leading them on - or making  
them think he was, anyway. He decided that the best thing to do would be to take the diary with  
them to Patty's house, after the recital, and bring it up then. Unless he showed them, it would  
probably wind up causing mass confusion, and they wouldn't even realize it was one of theirs.  
  
It was, wasn't it? It had to be.  
  
After the gang saw Schroeder's recital at one, they - and Schroeder - met at Peppermint Patty's  
house at three. Charlie Brown dithered while Patty's dad and several relatives prepared the food.   
He could tell her dad looked a little frazzled.  
  
"He must be worrying about his aunt," Linus said as he, Charlie Brown, and Sally gathered in  
the front yard.  
  
Charlie Brown rubbed his chin. "I guess. I thought he said she only strained something,  
though, and that her leg wasn't broken. Sally, you have that hidden in your bag, right?" She  
nodded. "Good. Now, don't pull it out until I tell you to. I'm glad you tried to help me  
yesterday, but I can handle this myself."  
  
"I think you caused more problems than I did," Sally noted. "For a big brother you sure do  
mess up a lot. Maybe it would be easier to just conduct your romances by e-mail."  
  
"With my luck I'd send a love letter to everyone on my mailing list." He sighed. "Well, you've  
been into the Olsen Twins lately, Sally. Have you been able to solve whose it is? Did you ask  
yourself what the Olsen and Olsen mystery agency would do?"  
  
"Sorry, big brother. I can only do so much when solving mysteries. It's a lot harder when you  
don't have a twin. Besides, I still say I don't have to solve anything. I think it's his," she said,  
pointing at Linus.  
  
"I am not your sweet babboo," Linus remarked casually.  
  
"Well, I have proof. " She pulled out the bok and read from it. "The writer says, I am always  
amazed at the ways in which my treasure makes me smile. I don't like to admit it. But, I like that  
my treasure gives time for me. And, giving myself for my treasure makes me happy.' The writer  
doesn't like to admit it!" Sally insisted as she put the book away.  
  
"Good grief, you help someone with fractions once, and they think you're giving your life for  
them," Linus muttered.  
  
"Hey, come on in, everyone. What's in the bag, Sally?" Patty asked.  
  
"You'll see." Sally and the others walked into the Reichardt's living room. "Now, big  
brother?" Sally whispered.  
  
"Why not?" he whispered back.  
  
Sally pulled out the diary, which she'd placed a book cover over, and began turning to a  
random page. "Okay, listen to this." She read, " Something happened, and I can't explain it. But,  
when this danger passes, I shall be whole again, and even more so. For the pains of coming close  
to losing you will bring us even closer.' Okay, what does that remind anyone of?"  
  
"It reminds me of when I got hit by that car as a crossing guard," Charlie Brown said.  
  
"Well, I'll be," Linus teased. "Lucy really does like you." He knew it could be Peppermint  
Patty's or Marcie's comment. But, he couldn't resist a job at his sister.  
  
"Oh, knock it off," Lucy hollered.  
  
Mr. Riechardt walked into the room, having overheard. "What? Where did you find that?"  
  
"One of the busboys found it at the pizza place yesterday, Sir," Charlie Brown explained.  
  
"Oh, thank you, thank you. I have been looking all over the house for this! I don't remember  
taking it with us to the restaurant, but I do write in it occasionally, when my rare gem does  
soemthing exceptional."  
  
"You mean this is yours?" Sally asked Peppermint Patt's dad. She was dumbfounded.  
  
"Actually..." His voice became very quiet and solemn. "Most of it is her mother's. But, after  
she got hurt, I wrote in it a few times. As a sort of love letter to her, for her to enjoy when she  
got better. Then..." He began sniffling.  
  
Patty hugged him. "It's okay, Dad. It's okay."  
  
Charlie Brown was amazed. His concerns over which of the girls liked him seemed so  
insgnificant right now. "All this time, we thought it was one of us. And, it turned out..."  
  
Rerun walked in with Snoopy. The dog was wearing one of Mr. Reichardt's shirts and ties.   
"Hey, did you know there was a book in your basement, under some clothes? The clothes really  
look nice on Snoopy, by the way."  
  
"Joe businessman" Snoopy thought. "I just need a briefcase now."  
  
"There it is," Patty said excitedly. "That's the diary." She took it from Rerun, then said, "But  
what's that?"  
  
"What? But, that sounded like what I wrote soon before..." Mr. Reichardt took both books,  
and looked in them. He finally nodded at the book Rerun had brought. "This other one sounds  
like it's talking about something else. But this one Rerun brought up..." He continued reading in  
the one Rerun had brought, and began sniffling, hugging Peppermint Patty.  
  
"What dies it say?" Charlie Brown asked lowly.  
  
Linus offered to take the book and read. Mr. Reichardt let him.  
  
"It says, I can't believe you are gone. My greatest treasure in all of the earth. I didn't know  
when the torrent would come, but I knew it would. It came when my last remaining piece of that  
treasure came up to me, and asked "Where's Mommy?" The dam broke, the tears started flowing,  
and they wouldn't stop. As I embraced what was left of my treasure, though, I committed myself  
to being the best father I can be. I will devote my time and energy to her. I will make sure she  
realizes what a rare gem she is,'" Linus read, wiping back tears. " So that she knows just what I  
thought of her mother, though she'll never remember her. And, how she should never accept less  
from a man than total comittment. No relationship is going to be perfect. We each had our  
quirks. But, we were committed to loving each other despite those quirks. She was a treasure  
unlike any other. And, thankfully, I still have one rare gem left over. Till we meet again on that  
great clelestial shore, farewell, my love.'"  
  
The Peanuts gang wept for a moment. Linus handed the diary back, sat, and sighed. "That  
was beautiful."  
  
Mr. Reichardt spoke after a moment of silence. "Patricia's mother and I loved and treasured  
each other. If you look from start to finish, you can see how that grew into something incredible.   
At times, I just have to continue writing little snippets. And, I share my feelings with Patty,  
because I want her to see how much she means to me."  
  
"Which is why you often speak so warmly of your dad," Charlie Brown said. Peppermint  
Patty nodded.  
  
Mr. Reichardt pointed to the other diary. "I don't know whose that is. But, I will say this. It  
seems to show the beginnings of what can be a great relationhip. Can they overcome their faults?   
Will they grow closer, or will they choose other people? Only time will tell. But, I hope that each  
of you ends up in a relationship as wonderful as mine was with my late wife. Because you see,  
the relationships that last are those where you don't worry about what you can get out of it. You  
worry about what you can give. The two people should be willing to give all they have, knowing  
they will get something spectacular in return. I did. And, that why I considered her to be such a  
treasure. And, it's why I'm glad to have one special gem from that treasure." He smiled and  
hugged Peppermint Patty again.  
  
"Those are great words," Linus said.  
  
Sally smiled warmly toward Linus and said, "I know. He sounded just like Jack Frost." She  
noticed the others trying to hold in laughs. Linus, however, simply grinned. "I told you he liked  
how I mess things up, big brother."  
  
"I never said I'll never be your sweet babboo," Linus pointed out. "But, not right now," Linus  
pointed out. "There are times when I hear Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen' on the radio, and I  
can hear myself singing Neil Sadaka's words to you. I was more like a big brother, in my mind,  
when you were six, for instance - and still am. But, by that time, you might fall for somone else.   
You might end up marrying Rerun."  
  
"With my luck, Linus, you and Sally will go to the prom together, while I'm stuck home with  
chicken pox or something," Charlie Brown muttered.  
  
"You all have years. And, it could happen for you, Charlie Brown. My wife started this book  
when she was ten. She added pages for years," Mr. Reichardt said.  
  
Charlie Brown said, "Peppermint Patty, look, that other one isn't mine. But, I mean, you're  
special, but so are you, Marcie. I just want to know which of you wrote those things, so I know  
which one of you thinks I'm a treasure."  
  
"Actually, I think it's mine," Schroeder said, sqjuirming uncomfortably and glancing at Lucy.   
"Sally was right. I don't write about Beethoven in my diary. And, I really love having Lucy as an  
audience. When I was smaller, and you'd sit by my piano, Lucy, I'd really feel encouraged. When  
you remembered Beethoven's birthday one year, that was so special to me. I just wish you  
wouldn't talk about marriage so much. I took my diary with me to write in while we ate Friday  
night, and I must have been concentrating too much and left it there."  
  
"Wait a minute. It can't be Schroeder's," Sally exclaimed.  
  
"What?!" the others said.  
  
"It talks about an annoying habit," Sally pointed out.  
  
"I'd say ignoring me is an annoying habit," Lucy proclaimed.  
  
Sally ignored Lucy. "It also talks about almost losing someone. Lucy was never involved in  
an accident, but my brother was."  
  
"But, she almost moved away. She wouldn't have been coming over all the time to be my  
audience." Schoeder continued by saying, "I do have an annoying habit, too. Although, maybe I  
only thought I told you Lucy. I snore like a jumbo jet sometimes. You wouldn't believe a kid my  
age could make that much noise. But, I do." He smiled. "I don't treasure you as a girlfriend or  
anything. And, you are really pushy. But, I like you as an audience. And, you're special." He  
looked at the book. He opened the cover and said, "Yes. This is my diary."  
  
Charlie Brown sighed and slumped in his seat. "You mean I'm not a treasure to anyone?"  
  
"Sure you are, Chuck. You're a great friend," Peppermint Patty said.  
  
"We love hanging around you," Marcie remarked.  
  
"But, how am I going to choose between you later?"  
  
Peppermint Patty looked at Marcie. "Let's not worry about that, Chuck. I don't want to fight  
with my friend over you. Besides, we've got eight years till the prom."  
  
"We'll always treasure you as a friend, Charlie Brown. Maybe you'll even get up the nerve to  
go out with the little red-haired girl," Marcie said. All looked at her, and at once all the children  
said, "Nah!"  
  
But, you will find someone, Chuck. I hope that someone's me; I can see Marcie finding  
someone before me. But, whoever it is, just knowing that I have a friend like you is something to  
treasure," Peppermint Patty said. 


End file.
